Successful Pacing

Nothing makes a mother happier than having a child come home to visit. My youngest just completed his first year as an Assistant Professor. He’s not married yet, and chooses to spend holidays with us. I couldn’t be happier!

Hubby and my oldest drove to Kansas to move him out as he’s going to teach in a bigger university. We’re all excited for him and love his new apartment there. The guys were gone for an entire week and were mentally and physically exhausted. I’m thankful they arrived home safe and sound.

While I was home alone, I planned some projects. I had the wheelchair so that I could roll around and not get quite as fatigued. The only problem was that the big wheelchair wouldn’t fit through all of the doorways. So, I followed my ankle doctor’s recommendations, and used a cane. I got a new one with the four legs, which is much better for me.

I knew that I couldn’t do everything on my list, but I hoped to complete a few things that I’ve wanted to do since we moved here. Decorating my home was nearly complete last year, but it’s amazing how many small jobs didn’t get done. These types of jobs are important, because they complete my dream of a cute, charming grandma house. Now, if the grandkids would just come over more often.

Ways I Paced Myself

• Working for short periods of time
• Using resources to help my physical pain (ice packs and elevating my feet).
• Having a list of goals, but accepting that they won’t all get done.

Each day, save one, I worked on a project. My favorite accomplishment was to organize the utility/sunroom. Every home always has room that becomes a junk room. This room had lots of amazon boxes and 4 laundry baskets. Large soda and juice bottles lined the walls. It drove me nuts when I needed to reach things on the shelves, but couldn’t.

I moved a few things and then rested for an hour or two. I tried to keep this schedule, but some days were harder than others. One day when both of my feet were swollen, I stayed in my recliner and used ice packs. If I hadn’t paced myself nothing would’ve been accomplished. Pacing has always been the important chronic illness concept that I failed at so often.

But, with a broken right foot and a still-painful left foot it just had to happen. I didn’t have a choice. I’m not sure that the break is healing. The doctor put me in a post-surgery sandal and will x-ray it again next week. I hope that there has been some improvement. I certainly don’t want surgery or a cast. It’s so much pain with foot surgery. The awful pain and having to keep my weight off for so long is terrible.

Hubby isn’t going to be able to easily help me in the bathroom. I’m trying (again) to lose weight, so that my feet don’t have so much to carry. I can’t exercise, so it is awfully hard. I can’t seem to eat anything that helps me lose. Often, I lose 2-5 pounds and then it comes back. My discipline is terrible.

Every once in a while I truly get the feelings that I felt when I was slim and energetic. I long for those feelings again. I took so much more pride in my appearance. It was easier to skip the tons of guilt and just enjoyed cooking for and with my family.

At the time, I had a goal of not ending up like my mother. Her health was pretty good, but she ate terribly. Once she was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes her health went downhill. A decade later she developed dementia. Now, she is in home hospice. Her death is not imminent but we almost last her recently.

I should want to do everything humanly possible to not develop the problems she has. It should motivate me to make changes. If you don’t realize, I’m preaching to myself. It’s hardly possible for me to motivate myself. In one way, shaming myself is helpful. I’ll start praying for God to help this happen for me. I certainly don’t have the strength to do this.

Have you found that chronic illness takes your motivation. Year after year, I’m shocked at how much I’ve changed. Even though I still work at being content with all these diseases, I don’t work at preserving what health I do have. It’s true that you don’t realize how blessed you are with your health, until it’s gone.

I hope and pray that you can be successful with your goals. I know that you probably have physical and emotional goals. I’ll never be able to do anything without God’s help.

@2026, copyright Lisa Ehrman

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical expert. This post contains my opinions and experiences and is not meant to be medical advice. If you have a medical concern, please consult your personal physician.